Creating Purpose and Focus - Presentation Zen Design - page 200

You can add a transition (dissolve) to smoothly change the text in sync with the narration. As the last slide
dissolves in, it appears that the man fades out from the scene, creating a very emotional statement visually.
(Image in slides from iStockphoto.com .)
In Sum
• People are naturally inclined to scan and look for contrast, patterns, and meaning.
Our job as presenters is to know what the key points are and create the differences
that make it easy for the viewer to naturally discover these points. Meaningful
contrasts give our stories focus and order.
• Slides are similar to posters or billboards in that they must (1) get noticed, (2) be
understood, and (3) be remembered. The visual elements onscreen serve to get
attention and draw the viewer in. Once drawn into the element that pops out the
most, the viewer is guided by design priority and various contrasts among the
elements to an understanding of the points you are trying to make.
• Every good visual has a clearly dominant element that attracts attention and lets
the viewer know where to begin. The presenter must be consciously aware of what
he or she wants the viewer to notice first, second, third, and so on. Viewers tend to
focus on images of people first. If you're using images of people, make sure this is
where you want the eye to be drawn to first.
• Add movement to your slides to emphasize part of a visual or draw attention to a
single element. Bring in elements as you build your point visually and create a
change to propel your point forward.